I know that some christian communities in Israel and Palestine are allowed to take care of the Holy Places: the Franciscans, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and the Armenian Church, and at a certain degree the Copts and the Ethiopians.

But what happens with the Greek Catholics that make the majority of christians in Palestine (with the GOC)?? It is said that melkite christians suffer discriminaion in the Holy Land not only by jews or muslims, but by christians because they're not seen as catholics or orthodox and don't have free access to the Holy places. If they celebrate the pascha according to the julian calendar, do they join the greek orthodox processions??

Georges Habache, the founder of the PFLP was an orthodox christian and that most of the members of this Front are christians (greek catholics and orthodox)who based their ideology in marxist leninist principles mixed with christian doctrine and were the christian branch of the OLP, while the muslim branch is known as Al-Fatah.
But on the other side a lot of melkite christians, as well as Armenians are part of the Army in the State of israel.

Dear Remie,

Access to the Holy sites are not forbidden to anyone who wishes to make pilgrimage under the auspices of the guardians of the various churches that you noted. Melikites who wish to perform services would have to make their arrangements thru the representatives of the Church of Rome, the Franciscans in order to reserve an Altar--- what you may be facing is the breaking of centuries old agreements and understandings about what, when, and where services may be held.

After talking with a former Roman Catholic Monk and a Greek Orthodox Monk about this several years ago, I learned that the careful balance and cooperation among the various "guardians" is very frail. These agreements date back in some cases to Moslem occupation of the Holy Land just after the Crusades and the Great Schism. It is interesting to note, the Protestants have no Holy sites assigned to their guardianship because their presence in the Holyland was covered by the Moslem understanding that the Pope was the leaders of Western Christianity just as the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople was the leader of the Orthodox Rum. The Copts and the Armenians likewise well known to the Moslem rulers were assigned holy sites to guard. The one requirement of the Moslems was that ALL the holy sites had to be open to ALL pilgrims.

Personally, I doubt that a Melikite specific service on the Old Style Calendar will be possible at the same time as the Orthodox Service, or the Copt Service, or the Armenian Service due to long historical precedent. It would remain for those in Communion with the Pope to use the system however and see what the Franciscans can arrange at some Altar during the holy periods---this would probably best be done through their Bishop or Patriarch requesting the Fransicans assistance.

I wish for you a Holy and Blessed Nativity!
Your brother in Christ,
Thomas

Thomas is exactly right. We don't need to play the politics of victimhood in Melkite Holy Land affairs. This community's greatest need, which gratefully the Universal Church is making attempts to assist with, is creating social situations which allow the Greek Catholic community to remain in the Holy Land while leading lives of human dignity and economic justice.

I thought that Melkites celebrated the pascha one week after the latin pascha, according to the New Julian Calendar used by most of the byzantine churches except the Russians, Serbs and Ukrainians, as well as some Old Calendarists. So their pascha is celebrated with the Greek Orthodox.

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Remie,
FYI All of the Orthodox Churches except for the Orthodox Church of Finland follow the Old Calendar Pascha date for pascha and Holy Week. In this manner, all Orthodox except for the Finns observe Holy Week and Pascha on the Same Day as per the agreement made when some churches went New Calendar. This is part of their remaining in union with all orthodox throughout the world.

The Orthodox Church of Finland chose to follow the Western date for Pascha due to the problems of being such a small minority observing pascha at opposing times to the surrounding church---I understand it has held down problems within mixed families.

May you have a Blessed and Holy Nativity!
Your brother in Christ,
Thomas

[The Orthodox Church of Finland chose to follow the Western date for Pascha due to the problems of being such a small minority observing pascha at opposing times to the surrounding church---I understand it has held down problems within mixed families.]

The Orthodox Church of Finland celebrates Pascha accoring to the western calculation because of pressure from the Finnish. The government would have taken their tax benefits away had they not changed.

OrthoMan

Dear Remie,
Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
The Melkite Greek Catholic Church in Palestine and the Holy Land is very strong. This is thanks in no small part to His Holiness Patriarch Gregory III Laham, during his many years as Patriarchal Vicar of Jerusalem. The other Greek Catholic Hierarchs have tried to work hard at maintaining the presence of a Living Church in the Holy Land. The Greek Catholic Church, I believe is the strongest Church supporting the local Arab Christian Population. Sadly our Arab Christian brothers and sisters are often forgotten by many Christians in Am3rica.

as far as the use of the Holy Places, it is not quite true that the holy Places are open to all. No Byzantine Catholic priest, or other Eastern Catholic cleric, may serve a Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Holy Resurrection (in the West called The Church of the Holy Seplecure.)This is part of an agreement between the Franciscan Custody and the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem. I have seen and read the document myself, in a sacristy of the Great Church. My guide a Melkite cleric mentioned that this is not the only place where the Franciscan Custody has sold the Eastern Catholics down the river for their own advantage. Sad, but apparently quite true.
Have a joyous Christmas, on whatever calendar.
Fr. Vladimir